The silver screen’s American race car legend and sports popular culture icon, Ricky Bobby, once said “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” NFL Hall of Famer, Al Davis, said something similar. A few years before Davis passed away he was in a gym riding an exercise bike and chatting with legendary De la Salle High School football coach Bob Ladouceur. On the wall in the workout room was a TV airing a program commemorating another sports legend. Davis pointed to the TV screen and said to Ladouceur, “Do you know how I want to be remembered? As a winner.” Ladouceur, a living legend himself, who was at the height of his coaching career in the midst of 12 consecutive undefeated seasons and a high school record 151 consecutive wins, was no stranger to winning. He had built the nation’s winningest high school football program, and Davis probably thought that Ladouceur was completely on board with his comments and his famous “Just win, baby” mantra.

He wasn’t.

Ladouceur didn’t reply to Davis, but he shook his head in disdain and thought to himself that Davis was completely missing the point. Ladouceur built a winning culture at De la Salle, but he was not what a former professor of mine used to call a hyper-competitive weenie. For Ladouceur, winning was fostered through a spirit of common team goals, camaraderie, personal development, character development, and faith. He met with each player to set goals for football and for life. Each Sunday, his team ate dinner together and they grew together in a special brotherhood that transcended the brightness of the Friday night lights. He cared about his players more than he cared about wins, and he wanted them to be better people in the pursuit of excellence—on and off the field—then they ever dreamed they could be. Ladouceur understood that if he could accomplish this—and do his job with the X’s and O’s—winning would follow.

The first round of the NBA playoffs reminds me of this. So often fans get wrapped up in the idea that “it don’t mean a thing, if we don’t get a ring.” Nonsense. After a long regular season that wore out its welcome by March, fans are being treated every night in April to good basketball. As for myself, if gluttony is a mortal sin, then this month and next I will build up plenty of fodder for the confessional come June. Regardless of who wins the O’Brien trophy, fans of at least 8 of the 16 teams in the post season will have their moment, and that moment will be remembered. As Warriors fans we won’t forget the magic of the 2007 “We believe” post season. Personally, I have many good memories of Warriors postseasons’ in the 80’s when they played in series against the Jazz, Lakers, and Spurs. Good memories of good teams.

For Gregg Popovich, whose San Antonio Spurs face elimination tomorrow against the Warriors, this edition of the Spurs may be his least talented. Yet, he has commented on how this has been one of his most rewarding seasons as a coach. And why not? One can argue that he has gotten as much as out of this team’s potential as he has out of some of his Championship teams. Popovich won’t be coaching tomorrow. He is in mourning, and he shouldn’t be there. Like Ladouceur, Pop operates out of a broader perspective. He frequently speaks how the game is secondary to life’s bigger, realer issues. There are other things in life that eclipse what happens on the court. His protégé and counterpart, Steve Kerr, is the same way.

The Spurs are a proud organization, and they will put up a fight on Sunday afternoon. But it probably won’t be enough. They are outmatched by the Warriors in almost every way. The Warriors will likely pull away in the second half ending the Spurs season.

The New Orleans Pelicans: Peaking at the Right Time

A friend recently asked me what I think of the Warriors’ chances of getting past Houston. Answering a question with a question, I asked him, “What do you think the Warriors chances are of getting past the Pelicans?” The Pelican’s opening round sweep of the Trailblazers has been a revelation. The Blazers are a good team, but they were no match for the Pelicans. Alvin Gentry has done a wonderful job getting his squad to play gritty two-way basketball. They set the tone with their defense, and they have the firepower on offense to match it. Anthony Davis has been an MVP in the early post season, and his supporting cast has collectively matched his potency. Jrue Holiday is having his finest moment as a pro so far, and his defensive chops have been a game-changer. He is easily one this season’s best two-way players. Rajon Rondo, when he wants to be, is one of the league’s toughest and savvy floor leaders. And with this team he wants to be. He is playing at the same level he played with the Celtics. Nikola Mirotić has given the Pelicans a dangerous third scoring option who keeps the floor spread. Other than depth, they don’t have a glaring weakness.

The Warriors swept the Pelicans in the opening round of the 2015 playoffs, but each game was close. This is a much better team that is peaking. Alvin Gentry continues to build his resume as one of the NBA’s best coaches, and it’s really nice to see. And kudos to defensive specialist, Darren Erman, who has vindicated himself after being fired from the Warriors’ coaching bench back in 2014 in one of the most controversial and dysfunctional moments of Mark Jackson’s tenure. Assuming the Warriors win in San Antonio in Game 4, expect this series to be a war similar to what the Warriors faced in 2016 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Without a fully healthy Steph Curry, this could easily go 7 games. It turns out the Rockets have the better path than the Warriors to the Western Conference Finals.

Flipping by Design

Fastbreak reader, Coltraining, sagaciously suggested in a comment in the last thread that the Warriors are flipping the switch by design. And I think there is something to that. I don’t know of any coaches who don’t seek perfection, knowing, of course, that it will always fall short. Coaches must preach the ideal, drill good habits, and set the bar very high for the players. Furthermore, this is a business, and the NBA must please their fans from October through March with a quality product. Still, the Warriors’ players are in the prime of their career, and they are not playing for one ring; they are playing to become a dynasty. No one understands the road that is paved to a dynasty more than Steve Kerr. He’s been on two of them and as a player has been coached by two legends who directed him there. And so even if Kerr (and his players) have expressed frustrations over poor habits and lack of motivation at many points in the season, it stands to reason that he understands the vicissitudes of the schedule and the anatomy and psychology of his patient, the team. So, sure, the Warriors have turned it off and on by design. Nothing speaks to this more than Andre Iguodala’s annual post season performance boost. He preserves himself during the regular season, but saves his can of spinach for the post season. To borrow from Toby Keith, he ain’t as good as he once was, but he’s as good once as he ever was. Miami gets the same thing out of Dwyane Wade.

The Leastern Conference

Sorry, I know it’s a cliché, but it’s a well-earned one. Once again, the Eastern Conference is proving to be an inferior brand. And whoever emerges from the East will not have to go through the same crucible as the team that emerges from the West. This would not be so were it not for injuries to the Celtics. But, alas, they are only a shell of what they could be.

Except for the emerging Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers, there has been a vibe of futility resonating through the first round in the East. The Cavaliers are down two games to one to the Pacers. The Pacers have clearly been the better team through 3 games, and it is not looking good for Cleveland. James has been careful not to throw his teammates under the bus, even though he is the only player on the Cavs putting pressure on the Pacers. But he can’t point fingers because this is his roster and his coach. The buck stops with James, and he’s baked whatever cake come out of his playoff oven. The NBA doesn’t want to see James eliminated in the first round. That would be bad for ratings, but at this point, it’s the Pacers series to lose, and that’s hard to envision now.

The Sixers are dominating a very solid Miami Heat team. The Heat, a very good defensive unit, cannot contain the offensive dynamic that the Sixers present. But not many teams in the field would be able to. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid make up a very special tandem. And they have three potent sharpshooters spreading the floor for them in vets Covington, Reddick, and Belinelli. It’s not the Sixers time yet. They haven’t paid their dues, but they have rapidly become a legitimate consideration to make it out of the East.

Of course all roads are to the finals in the East are supposed to go through Toronto, but what is it about them that inspires faithlessness? They are well coached, they are among the league-leaders in wins every season, and they have proven stars in Lowry and Derozan. But until they prove they can get over the hump, doubts will persist. Losing to the Wizards by 19 points yesterday doesn’t inspire confidence, that’s for sure.

Ichi-go, Ichi-e

Finally, the Japanese have an expression, Ichi-go, Ichi-e, which literally means one moment, one meeting. We’ve waited a long time for the playoffs to arrive, and they haven’t disappointed. Charles Barkeley said it best during half time of the Pelicans/Trailblazers game: “As a fan, these teams are competing. I love it.” I do too. One moment, one meeting. Savor each morsel.